# 1987 Women's European Volleyball Championship

The 1987 Women's European Volleyball Championship was the fifteenth edition of the event, organised by Europe's governing volleyball body, the Confédération Européenne de Volleyball. It was hosted in several cities in Belgium from 25 September to 3 October 1987, with the final round held in Ghent.

## Participating teams

* Belgium
* Bulgaria
* Czechoslovakia
* East Germany
* France
* Hungary
* Italy
* Netherlands
* Poland
* Romania
* Soviet Union
* West Germany

## Format

The tournament was played in two different stages. In the first stage, the twelve participants were divided in two groups of six teams each. A single round-robin format was played within each group to determine the teams' group position. The second stage of the tournament consisted of three sets of semifinals to determine the tournament final ranking. The group stage firsts and seconds played the semifinals for 1st to 4th place, group stage thirds and fourths played the 5th to 8th place semifinals and group stage fifths and sixths played the 9th to 12th semifinals. The pairing of the semifinals was made so teams played against the opposite group teams which finished in a different position (1st played against 2nd, 3rd played against 4th and 5th played against 6th).

## Pools composition

| Pool A | Pool B |
| Czechoslovakia | Belgium |
| Italy | Bulgaria |
| Netherlands | East Germany |
| Poland | France |
| Soviet Union | Hungary |
| West Germany | Romania |

## Venues

| Pool A | Pool B and Final round (1st–4th) | Final round (5th–12th) | EupenGhentAuderghemclass=notpageimage| Tournament host cities |
| Eupen | Ghent | Auderghem | EupenGhentAuderghemclass=notpageimage| Tournament host cities |

## Preliminary round
### Pool A

* venue location: Eupen, Belgium
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Soviet Union | 5 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 15 | 2 | 7.500 | 249 | 103 | 2.417 | Semifinals |
| 2 | Czechoslovakia | 5 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 1.250 | 215 | 205 | 1.049 | Semifinals |
| 3 | Netherlands | 5 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 10 | 1.100 | 245 | 259 | 0.946 | 5th–8th place |
| 4 | Italy | 5 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 0.727 | 209 | 234 | 0.893 | 5th–8th place |
| 5 | West Germany | 5 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 0.667 | 222 | 265 | 0.838 | 9th–12th place |
| 6 | Poland | 5 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 13 | 0.308 | 164 | 238 | 0.689 | 9th–12th place |
| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 25 Sep | Soviet Union | 3–1 | Czechoslovakia | 15–13 | 11–15 | 15–1 | 15–2 | | 56–31 | Report |
| 25 Sep | Netherlands | 3–1 | Poland | 14–16 | 15–11 | 15–11 | 15–7 | | 59–45 | Report |
| 25 Sep | Italy | 3–2 | West Germany | 15–7 | 12–15 | 9–15 | 15–7 | 15–12 | 66–56 | Report |
| 26 Sep | Czechoslovakia | 3–1 | Netherlands | 15–11 | 12–15 | 15–10 | 15–1 | | 57–37 | Report |
| 26 Sep | Soviet Union | 3–0 | West Germany | 15–7 | 15–3 | 15–6 | | | 45–16 | Report |
| 26 Sep | Poland | 3–1 | Italy | 7–15 | 15–13 | 15–9 | 15–7 | | 52–44 | Report |
| 27 Sep | Czechoslovakia | 3–1 | West Germany | 15–11 | 14–16 | 15–10 | 15–9 | | 59–46 | Report |
| 27 Sep | Netherlands | 3–1 | Italy | 15–4 | 15–12 | 13–15 | 15–9 | | 58–40 | Report |
| 27 Sep | Soviet Union | 3–0 | Poland | 15–3 | 15–2 | 15–6 | | | 45–11 | Report |
| 29 Sep | Soviet Union | 3–0 | Italy | 15–9 | 15–4 | 15–1 | | | 45–14 | Report |
| 29 Sep | Czechoslovakia | 3–0 | Poland | 15–3 | 15–13 | 15–5 | | | 45–21 | Report |
| 29 Sep | Netherlands | 3–2 | West Germany | 8–15 | 7–15 | 15–13 | 15–5 | 15–11 | 60–59 | Report |
| 30 Sep | Italy | 3–0 | Czechoslovakia | 15–11 | 15–8 | 15–4 | | | 45–23 | Report |
| 30 Sep | West Germany | 3–0 | Poland | 15–13 | 15–13 | 15–9 | | | 45–35 | Report |
| 30 Sep | Soviet Union | 3–1 | Netherlands | 15–10 | 15–4 | 13–15 | 15–2 | | 58–31 | Report |

### Pool B

* venue location: Ghent, Belgium
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | East Germany | 5 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 15 | 0 | MAX | 226 | 108 | 2.093 | Semifinals |
| 2 | Bulgaria | 5 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 12 | 3 | 4.000 | 214 | 142 | 1.507 | Semifinals |
| 3 | France | 5 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 1.125 | 200 | 196 | 1.020 | 5th–8th place |
| 4 | Romania | 5 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 0.600 | 170 | 196 | 0.867 | 5th–8th place |
| 5 | Hungary | 5 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 0.500 | 200 | 237 | 0.844 | 9th–12th place |
| 6 | Belgium | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 15 | 0.000 | 94 | 225 | 0.418 | 9th–12th place |
| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 25 Sep | East Germany | 3–0 | Bulgaria | 15–11 | 16–14 | 15–9 | | | 46–34 | Report |
| 25 Sep | Romania | 3–0 | Belgium | 15–9 | 15–3 | 15–9 | | | 45–21 | Report |
| 25 Sep | France | 3–2 | Hungary | 15–12 | 15–10 | 15–17 | 11–15 | 15–12 | 71–66 | Report |
| 26 Sep | Bulgaria | 3–0 | Romania | 15–7 | 15–11 | 15–7 | | | 45–25 | Report |
| 26 Sep | Hungary | 3–0 | Belgium | 15–7 | 15–13 | 15–3 | | | 45–23 | Report |
| 26 Sep | East Germany | 3–0 | France | 15–1 | 15–8 | 15–8 | | | 45–17 | Report |
| 27 Sep | Bulgaria | 3–0 | Belgium | 15–11 | 15–2 | 15–7 | | | 45–20 | Report |
| 27 Sep | France | 3–0 | Romania | 15–12 | 15–6 | 15–8 | | | 45–26 | Report |
| 27 Sep | East Germany | 3–0 | Hungary | 15–8 | 15–6 | 15–6 | | | 45–20 | Report |
| 29 Sep | Bulgaria | 3–0 | Hungary | 15–7 | 15–9 | 15–13 | | | 45–29 | Report |
| 29 Sep | East Germany | 3–0 | Romania | 15–2 | 15–9 | 15–10 | | | 45–21 | Report |
| 29 Sep | France | 3–0 | Belgium | 15–2 | 15–6 | 15–6 | | | 45–14 | Report |
| 30 Sep | Romania | 3–1 | Hungary | 15–10 | 15–10 | 8–15 | 15–5 | | 53–40 | Report |
| 30 Sep | East Germany | 3–0 | Belgium | 15–4 | 15–6 | 15–6 | | | 45–16 | Report |
| 30 Sep | Bulgaria | 3–0 | France | 15–9 | 15–3 | 15–10 | | | 45–22 | Report |

## Final round
### 9th–12th place

* Pools A and B fifth and sixth positions play each other.
* venue location: Auderghem, Belgium
| Semifinals | Semifinals | 9th place | 9th place |
| 2 Oct | 2 Oct |
| Hungary | 3 |
| Hungary | 3 | 3 Oct | 3 Oct |
| Poland | 0 | 3 Oct | 3 Oct |
| Poland | 0 | Hungary | 1 |
| 2 Oct | 2 Oct | | Hungary | 1 |
| 2 Oct | 2 Oct | West Germany | 3 |
| West Germany | 3 | West Germany | 3 |
| Belgium | 0 | | |
| Belgium | 0 | 11th place | 11th place |
| | | 3 Oct | 3 Oct |
| | | Poland | 3 |
| | | Belgium | 0 |

#### 9th–12th semifinals

| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 2 Oct | West Germany | 3–0 | Belgium | 15–9 | 15–5 | 15–8 | | | 45–22 | Report |
| 2 Oct | Hungary | 3–0 | Poland | 15–10 | 15–6 | 15–10 | | | 45–26 | Report |

#### 11th place match

| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 3 Oct | Poland | 3–0 | Belgium | 15–6 | 15–9 | 15–11 | | | 45–26 | Report |

#### 9th place match

| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 3 Oct | West Germany | 3–1 | Hungary | 15–4 | 15–9 | 13–15 | 15–10 | | 58–38 | Report |

### 5th–8th place

* Pools A and B third and fourth positions play each other.
* venue location: Auderghem, Belgium
| Semifinals | Semifinals | 5th place | 5th place |
| 2 Oct | 2 Oct |
| Netherlands | 3 |
| Netherlands | 3 | 3 Oct | 3 Oct |
| Romania | 2 | 3 Oct | 3 Oct |
| Romania | 2 | Netherlands | 3 |
| 2 Oct | 2 Oct | | Netherlands | 3 |
| 2 Oct | 2 Oct | Italy | 1 |
| Italy | 3 | Italy | 1 |
| France | 0 | | |
| France | 0 | 7th place | 7th place |
| | | 3 Oct | 3 Oct |
| | | Romania | 2 |
| | | France | 3 |

#### 5th–8th semifinals

| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 2 Oct | Italy | 3–0 | France | 15–10 | 15–13 | 15–6 | | | 45–29 | Report |
| 2 Oct | Netherlands | 3–2 | Romania | 15–5 | 10–15 | 11–15 | 15–13 | 15–9 | 66–57 | Report |

#### 7th place match

| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 3 Oct | France | 3–2 | Romania | 15–12 | 15–17 | 15–10 | 11–15 | 15–12 | 71–66 | Report |

#### 5th place match

| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 3 Oct | Netherlands | 3–1 | Italy | 15–5 | 15–12 | 12–15 | 15–13 | | 57–45 | Report |

### Final

* Pools A and B first and second positions play each other.
* venue location: Ghent, Belgium
| Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final |
| 2 Oct | 2 Oct |
| Soviet Union | 3 |
| Soviet Union | 3 | 3 Oct | 3 Oct |
| Bulgaria | 0 | 3 Oct | 3 Oct |
| Bulgaria | 0 | Soviet Union | 2 |
| 2 Oct | 2 Oct | | Soviet Union | 2 |
| 2 Oct | 2 Oct | East Germany | 3 |
| East Germany | 3 | East Germany | 3 |
| Czechoslovakia | 0 | | |
| Czechoslovakia | 0 | 3rd place | 3rd place |
| | | 3 Oct | 3 Oct |
| | | Bulgaria | 0 |
| | | Czechoslovakia | 3 |

#### Semifinals

| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 2 Oct | East Germany | 3–0 | Czechoslovakia | 15–9 | 15–13 | 15–2 | | | 45–24 | Report |
| 2 Oct | Soviet Union | 3–0 | Bulgaria | 15–9 | 15–6 | 15–10 | | | 45–25 | Report |

#### 3rd place match

| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 3 Oct | Czechoslovakia | 3–0 | Bulgaria | 15–10 | 15–10 | 15–12 | | | 45–32 | Report |

#### Final

| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total | Report |
| 3 Oct | East Germany | 3–2 | Soviet Union | 8–15 | 15–9 | 18–20 | 15–9 | 15–11 | 71–64 | Report |

## Final ranking

| Place | Team |
| | East Germany |
| | Soviet Union |
| | Czechoslovakia |
| 4. | Bulgaria |
| 5. | Netherlands |
| 6. | Italy |
| 7. | France |
| 8. | Romania |
| 9. | West Germany |
| 10. | Hungary |
| 11. | Poland |
| 12. | Belgium |
* 1987 Women's European champions
* East Germany Second title

## Individual awards

* MVP: Lucie Václavíková (CSK)
* Best spiker: Elena Volkova (URS)
* Best setter: Dorte Studemann (GDR)